High pressure hand lubricator



Aug. 30, 1938. J, Q MORROW 2,128,494

HIGH PRESSURE HAND LUBRICATOR Filed Sep. 23, 1957 Ik a I i I 1 c/b/M/ C? /yoeeoiu Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHE row Lubricator Company,

poration of Illinois Chicago, Ill., a cor- Application September 23, 1937, Serial No. 165,259

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a high pressure hand lubricator and more particularly to a pump lubricator constructed as a unitary appliance, which appliance may be readily applied to a container of lubricant, such as the body of a lubricator or a commercial can of lubricant or other fluid, and cooperating with such container for providing a high pressure lubricator, whereby lubricant may be forced from the container unv der high pressure by plunger action.

An object of the present invention is to provide a unitary appliance which may be attached to a lubricant container for utilizing the container in combination with the appliance for i providing a high pressure hand lubricator and adapted for one hand operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary, self-contained appliance, adapted to receive a container of lubricant, such as a can, and therewith provide a high pressure hand lubricator.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement of a self-contained appliance, including a delivery spout, and plunger and cylinder arrangement, together with means for actuating the plunger tol forcibly eject lubricant through the spout, and which appliance may be attached as a whole to a commercial can of lubricant or other container for lubricant.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an adapter which may be applied to a lubricant container, such as the original container in which the lubricant is sold, whereby the container together with the adapter constitutes a high pressure hand lubricator.

The above, other, and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing illustrates embodiments of the present invention, and-the views thereof are as follows: j

Figure l is a top plan view of an adapter or appliance constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and applied to a suitable lubricant container.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal or axial sectional View, through one form of unitary adapter or appliance, with the parts in normal or inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a vertical central sectional view through the arrangement of Figure l, the .whole constituting a high pressure hand lubricator, and showing a rigid feedpipe with abent end,

which pipe may be adjusted so that the end willA extend into the lubricant, whenever thedevice isV tilted for use, and be submerged in the lubricant.

Figure 4 is a fragmental, central, vertical sectional view, of another form of container, and showing a flexible feed pipe provided with a weighted end, so that the end will always be submerged in the lubricant regardless of the tilted position of the device when in use.

The drawing will now be explained.

For retail consumption, lubricant is packaged in small cans or containers and sold to consumers. l0

High pressure hand lubricators require certain operative elements whereby a charge of oil or lubricant may be trapped in a chamber and then ejected through the lubricator spout under high pressure. Usually high pressure hand lubricators are constructed with special can bodies for cooperating with spout structures to afford high pressure lubrication.

The present invention relates to an improved high pressure hand lubricator. By way of example, the invention is herein illustrated and described as an adapter or appliance which may be readily applied to a commercial can of lubricating oil or to the body of a lubricator, without requiring any special construction for the securement of the parts in operative relation, and which unitary adapter or appliance is provided with a working chamber, a discharge spout, a plunger, and a plunger rod for operating the plunger whereby the lubricator may be held in one hand of an operator and, as so held, actuated for lubrication purposes.

The appliance of the present invention is illustrated herein as including a body A, which may be of cast or forged metal; a spout B, threadedly secured to the body A; and a plunger rod C working through one end of the body and carrying a thumb button i at its outer extremity.

Secured to the lower portion of the body A is a metallic cap D having a neck 2 which is interiorly threaded to receive the threads 3 formed in the neck of a suitable container E. The interior of the cap D is provided with a gasket il for sealing the connection between the body and the container to prevent waste of lubricant.

The body A is formed with two bores, of different diameters, axially aligned and spaced. The smaller bore 5 opens through the front end of the body A, and the larger bore 3 opens through the other end of the body, as may be observed in Figure 3. The junction between the bores 5 and 6 is formed as a flat annular seat l, or abutment, whose surface is at right angles to theaxis of the bores.

The spout end of the body A has a threaded 55 extremity S. The adjacent end of the spout B is shown as provided with an annular shoulder 9 against which seats the shoulder IQ of a coupling F. The coupling F has a cylindrical portion II surrounding the spout B and a skirt portion I2 of greater diameter, which is interiorly threaded to engage the threaded extremity 8 of the body A, to connect the spout to the body in operative relation.

Forced into the body end of the spout B is a member G which has a bored portion I3 and a tapered portion I4, the minimum diameter of the tapered portion communicating with the bore I3, as illustrated. The larger end of the tapered portion I4 is disposed adjacent the body end of the spout. Frictionally retained within the bore I3 of the member G is a hat plate I5 carrying a tapered point IS which extends into the tapered portion I4. Threaded about the point IS is a coiled spring Il normally bearing against a ball I8 and constituting .a check valve arrangement. The ball i8 is retained in position by means of a washer IS applied against the ball when the spout is connected to the body member, the parts then being as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The ball IS normally closes the end of the spout in communication with the larger bore or chamber 6 of the body A of the adapter.

The plunger rod C extends through the smaller bore 5 with one end projecting outwardly of the body, where it carries the thumb pressure button I, and its other end extending into the larger bore or chamber I5. The rod C has a portion 2B of substantially the same diameter as the smaller bore 5, to constitute a guideway for the plunger. The portion 25 is provided with an annular groove 2l in which is seated a ring 22 serving as a stop, and normally engaging the flat face 'I to thus limit the movement of the plunger rod in retrograde or retracted position, which is the normal position of the rod.

The extremity of the rod working within the bore or chamber 8 is reduced in diameter and threaded, as at 23, for a short distance. Immediately behind the threaded portion is an enlarged abutment 24. Behind the abutment is a cylindrical portion 25, and connecting the cylindrical portion 25 with the portion 20 of the rod is a tapered portion 26.

A piston, valve H is carried by the plunger rod and works within the chamber or bore 6. The piston valve His hollow for a major portion of its length and has a head 2l which is centrally .apertured at 28 and formed with a margin 29 which normally seats against the tapered portion 26 of the rod to close iiow communication through the piston Valve.

For normally maintaining the interior of the piston valve H closed to ow communication, a nut 29a is threaded onto the threaded extremity 23 of the rod, and a spring 3@ is effective between the nut and the head 27 of the valve H to maintain the head seated against the tapered portion of the rod and thus maintain the valve in closed relation. Preferably the nut is provided with axially extending fingers 3l to constitute support for the spring and to permit passage of lubricant from within the interior of the piston valve H and around the nut, when the valve is unseated with respect to the rod.

The portion of the rod C which Works within the smaller bore 5 has portions 32 of restricted diameter, and another portion 33 of slightly greater diameter, but of less diameter than the portion 2li. Surrounding the portions 32 of restricted diameter are washers K and K formed as truncated cones and arranged one with its margin of greater diameter towards the discharge end of the body and the other with its margin of greater diameter toward the other end of the body. The construction of the parts is such that the washers K, K work wholly within the bore 5 of the body A as the rod is reciprocated in use. The formation of the washers in the forms of truncated cones eiectually seals the bore 5 to oil escape through its outer end, and under pressure stroke the margin of greater diameter of one of the washers is expanded to effectually seal the bore 5 while on return stroke the other washer seals the bore.

The extremity of the spout B is provided with a tip member 34 having a pilot projection 35 for entrance into an oil orifice to center the spout, and surrounding the pilot is .a yieldable' member 36 which is adapted to be compressed when the tip is applied to an orifice, to seal the connection between the tip and the orifice. The tip 34 has a polygonal portion 3l', which is interiorly threaded to threadedly engage the extremity of the spout B. The polygonal portion 3l is useful in receiving a tool for applying the tip to, or removing it from, the spout.

The body A is provided with an upper nger hold or trigger 38 rand a lower finger hold or trigger 39, which triggers are so disposed and arranged as to be engaged by the first iinger and second finger, respectively, of an operator holding the device in one hand. By holding the device in the manner stated, the thumb of that hand may be used to apply thumb pressure to the button I to move the plunger inwardly for discharging lubricant through the tip of the spout.

Using the device as held in one hand, the operator places his first finger about the trigger 38, the palm of his hand against the rear or righthand portion of the container E, as shown in Fig. 3, and his other ngers about the forward portion of the container, with his thumb .available for actuating the button I. The nger 39 is provided to enable hand pressure thereagainst when it is necessary to hold the tip 36 in tight engagement with an oil fitting, for lubricating the fitting. The finger 39 is ordinarily not utilized during the time the device is in use as a high pressure lubricator.

The body A is provided with a passageway di) whereby lubricant within the container E may be supplied to the chamber or larger bore 6 of the body. In Figure 3, the passageway 40 is shown as a bore communicating with enlarged interiorly threaded bore 4I. Threaded into the bore 4I is a threaded extremity 42 of a rigid pipe 43. A lock nut 44 on the pipe is adapted to be tightened against the body, to lock the pipe in such angular relation that its bent end 45 will be submerged in the lubricant within the body E, as the device is tilted for use.

In full lines in Figure 3, the bent end 45 is disposed to be submerged in the oil when the spout is tilted upwardly, and in dotted lines, the position of the bent end when the device is to be used with the spout tilted downwardly.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the body Af is formed with an interiorly threaded cylindrical neck 46 to receive the threaded neck 41 of a retail can or package 48, or other suitable receptacle, containing lubricant. In this form of the invention a flexible tube 48, readily pliant, is shown as secured to a central ywith a weight 52 so as to 53 opening into the bore boss 50 through which is a passageway 5I for supplying lubricant to the interior of the body A. The lower or inner end of the tube 49 is provided swing the lower end of the tube in conformity with the degree of tilt of the body in order that the end of the tube may be always submerged in the lubricant within the container.

'Ihe exible tube 49, shown in Figure 4, could, of course, be substituted for the rigid pipe 43 as shown in Figure 3, suitable connections for such flexible tube being provided.

The body A has an air passageway 53 in it communicating at one end with the interior of the cap D and at the other end opening into the smaller bore 5. The purpose of this passageway is to supply air to the interior of the container E under certain conditions.

The relationship of the end of the passageway and the position of the washer K on the rod C, when the rod is in retracted or normal position, is such as to close the air passageway to the atmosphere through the open end of the bore 5, and to open this passageway to air admission as soon as the plunger rod C is moved inwardly to eject a charge of oil through the spout B. The washer K seals the chamber or bore 6 against air entrance when the parts are in the position of Figure 2.

The body A' is provided with a like air passageway 54.

The piston valve H fits snugly within the bore or chamber 6 so that on return stroke of the plunger rod C, after having discharged a charge of oil through the spout, suflicient friction will occur between the piston valve H and the surface of the bore 6 as to retard the return movement of the piston valve, thus unseating it with respect to the tapered portion 26 of the rod, opening its interior to oil passage. Movement of the piston valve H from left to right, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, that is to retracted position, will create suction within the chamber or bore 6, between the check valve and the piston valve, which is sufficient to draw lubricant from the bore 6 behind the piston and through the piston. valve H into the bore between the valve H and the check valve, thus filling the chamber with a charge of oil ready to be compressed and discharged on the next working stroke of the plunger rod when moved to the left, as viewed in the drawing.

In Figure 3, the piston valve H is shown in normal or retracted position as partially closingrthe oil passage 40. AThe relationship of the valve H and the passage 40 may be made, as desired, with the valve fully closing this passageway when in retracted position, partially closing it as shown, or wholly free from obstructing position, if desired.

It will be observed that the construction of the present invention is such that the oil or lubricant enters the bore 6, between the check valve andy the piston valve 8, through the interior of the piston valve and not otherwise.

In order to normally maintain the plunger rod in retracted or normal position, a spring 55 is interposed between the washer I9 and the nut 29 carried on the inner end of the rod. The spring 30, working between the nut 29 and the piston valve 8, might be eliminated, and the spring H55 entended over the nut to engage against the ad-l jacent end of the piston valve, if desired.

The illustrated form of the invention shows two springs 39 and 55, although the function of these springs might be incorporated, as suggested, in a single spring.

The flexible tube 49 is of such iiexibility that its lower end will swing by gravital action as the device is tilted in use.

The operation of the structure of invention is as follows:

The container E, or 48, is applied to the securing means of the body A with the feed pipe entered in the interior of the container, and terminating near the bottom of the same.

When it is desired to use the assembled structure as a high pressure hand lubricator, the operator grasps thebody as heretofore described. The tip 36 is then applied to an oil orice and the plunger C worked back and forth to discharge lubricant into the oil fitting. The device may be tilted with the spout projecting upwardly or downwardly without interfering with the operativeness of the structure.

Movement of the plunger C to the left, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, builds up pressure against the charge of oil within the chamber between the check valve and the piston valve H until the resistance offered by the spring Il is overcome, whereupon the check valve opens and the charge is discharged through the spout and into the oil fitting. When the plunger hasbeen moved to its fully projected or discharge position, thumb pressure is relieved against the button whereupon the spring 55 returns the plunger to its retracted position. As the piston is moved toward the check valve to eject a charge of lubricant, sufficient suction is created in the bore to draw lubricant from within the container and into the bore behind the valve H; i. e., from the right as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, so that it is not necessary to tilt the device to furnish a fresh supply of lubricant to the bore. During the return of the plunger to retracted position, the suction present in the chamber between the check valve and the piston valve is sufficient to draw ther lubricant from behind the piston the present through the aperture in the head of the pistonl valve and into the chamber between the check valve and the piston valve. The piston valve is shifted on the rod to open its interior to oil passage by reason of the frictional engagement of the piston valve with the wall of the chamber 5. When the plunger rod has reached its fully retracted position, which is that controlled by the stop ring 22 engaging the shoulder 1, the chamber between the check valve and the piston valve H will havebeen filled with lubricant. When the rod reaches its retracted position, the spring 39 then becomes effective to move the'head of the piston valve H against they tapered portion of the rod in closing position, so that the lubricant isthus trapped in the chamber.

The nextdischarge stroke will build up pressure on this'charge and ejectit through the spout as heretofore described. Repeated action of the plunger in the manner described will enable discharge of ya plurality 'of shots of lubricant into the oil fitting.

'During the reciprocation of the plunger, the air passageway 53 is alternately opened and closed to thefatmosphere to admit air to the interior of the container. When the plunger' is moved on its discharge stroke, the passageway is open whereupon air enters the container; When the plunger is in retracted position, this airl passageway is closed, sothat there is some air present within the container which aids in supply of liquid or lubricant from 4 v vithinfthe icontainer to the chamber through the piston valve H when it has been shifted to open the aperture in its end to lubricant passage.

When a fixed feed pipe, such as at 43 shown in Figure 3, is utilized, and the operator intends to utilize the device for lubricating a plurality of oil fittings which are above his head, or above the normal hand held position of the device, he then, before starting the lubricating, adjusts the pipe so that its bent end will be submerged in the lubricant in the container, when the device is tilted so that the spout points upwardly. In like manner, where a series of lubrications are to be carried out with the spout pointed downwardly, the bent end of the pipe will be turned to the dotted line position of Figure 3.

Adjustment of the iixed tube 43 may be obviated by utilizing a exible tube such as that shown in Figure 9, the lower end of which follows by gravity the tilted position of the container and device.

A structure such as that illustrated and described in the present application, and constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, is capable of building up a pressure of substantially a thousand pounds per square inch within the oil trapping chamber, so that lubricant discharged from such a lubricator surely finds it way into the part connected to the oil fitting' for eiiicient and certain lubrication of such part.

The applicance of the present invention is so -designed as to discharge lubricant at high pressure by simple manipulative action of the plunger rodC by the thumb of the operator.

The appliance of the present invention is simple in construction and operation, and can easily be taken apart for cleaning, repair, or replacement of worn parts. It is self-contained, so that when once connected to a container, the assembly is immediately available as a high pressure hand lubricator. Furthermore, the construction is simple, is rugged, and is built to stand long use in service.

The position of the piston valve, in retracted position, in closing the port 40 will prevent leakl age of lubricant from Within the. chamber back into the container when the chamber is iilled and the device not in use.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts, and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A self-contained unit structure adapted to be connected to a lubricant container to cooperate therewith to provide a high pressure hand lubricator, said unit including means for connecting it to a container and including means providing a working chamber, a discharge spout communicating with said chamber, means providing a restricted passage between said chamber and spout, a spring pressed ball normally closing said passage and arranged to open said passage by movement away from said chamber, a cup shaped piston valve movable within said chamber towards and away from said first mentioned valve, the said piston valve having an axial port at one end, a plunger rod having a tapered portion on it'extending through said port for closing said port when the rod is moved in the direction towards said rst valve, spring means acting against said rod tending to move it away from said spout, said unit having an oil port opening into said chamber in spaced relation to said restricted passage, a feed tube connected with said oil port and adapted to extend toward the bottom of the connected container for supplying lubricant to the chamber, initiation of movement of said plunger toward said spout closing the plunger port to oil passage thereby trapping oil in said chamber between the plunger and restricted passage and continued movement building up pressure of the trapped oil until resistance of the ball spring is overcome and thereby discharging the oil through said spout, the said spring means then becoming eiective to move said rod in the opposite direction, said piston valve snugly tting said chamber so as to be moved on said rod on return stroke by frictional engagement with the chamber Wall to displace said valve with respect to said rod and open its axial port to lubricant passage through said valve and into said chamber, the return movement of said cup shaped valve creating vacuum in said chamber between the piston valve and ball valve for drawing another charge of lubricant into the chamber between the said valves.

2. An appliance for removable connection to a lubricator container to cooperate therewith to provide a handheld high pressure lubricator, said appliance including a body having' aligned bores through it of two diameters with the junction between the bores formed as a flat annular seat at right angles to the bore axes, a plunger rod Working in said bores and having an end projecting through the end of the bore of smaller diameter and carrying a thumb button at said end, a washer on said plunger rod working wholly within the smaller bore, a piston valve carried by said plunger rod an-d working' wholly Within the larger bore, a stop ring on said plunger rod adapted to engage said annular seat to limit movement of said plunger in one direction, said piston valve being movable on said rod to close and open fluid passage between said rod and said valve interior, a nut on the valve end oi' said rod,

a spring eiective between said nut and said valve to normally maintain said valve seated on said lrod to close its interior to fluid passage, a spout connected to said body in communication with said larger bore, a normally closed spring pressed check valve in said spout adjacent said larger bore, said body having a port affording communication between the larger bore and the cap, a feed tube secured to said cap in communication with said port and terminating adjacent the bottom of said container, said body having an air passage opening at one end through said cap and at the other end opening into said smaller bore, the position of the washer on said rod being' such that when the rod is in normal or retracted position with the ring against said seat said air passage is closed to the atmosphere and when the rod is advanced to discharge lubricant through said spout said air passage is open to the atmosphere through said end of the smaller bore for admission of air to said container.

3. An appliance for removable connection to a container of lubricant to therewith provide a high pressure lubricator, said appliance including a body having two axial bores of diierent diameters, the larger of which constitutes a chamber and which is connected at its end remote from the smaller bore to a spout, a cap aixed to said body for connection to a container, said body having an oil passage opening at one end through said cap and at the other end opening into said larger 75 bore, said passage being bored and tapped, a pipe threaded into tapped bore, a lock nut on said pipe to secure it to said body in adjusted position, said pipe having a bent end to be submerged in the contents of the container, a piston valve movable within said larger bore for discharging lubricant through said spout, a plunger rod extending through said bores and carrying said piston valve, said rod having a tapered portion constituting a valve member for closing fluid passage tosaid piston valve, spring means for maintaining said piston valve seated against said rod, said piston valve being moved on said rod on return stroke by frictional engagement with the surface of said piston valve with said larger bore to thereby open the interior of said valve to fluid flow from said container into said larger bore.

4. A self-contained appliance for attachment to a lubricator container to therewith provide a high pressure hand operated lubricating apparatus, said appliance including a body, a discharge spout and a cap for removably receiving the container; said body having means whereby the appliance may be held in one hand of an operator for use; said body having two axially aligned and spaced bores of diierent diameters with the smaller bore opening through the rear or thumb end of the body; a spout connected to the other end of said body in communication with the larger bore; a normally closed check valve in said spout adapted to open towards the spout tip by pressure created in the larger bore by movement of a piston valve toward said check valve on a discharge stroke, a rod reciprocable within said bores and carrying a piston valve working in the larger bore and a sealing washer working in the smaller bore and having an end extending through the open end of said smaller bore, the valve end of said rod having a tapered portion, and said piston valve having an apertured head which seats on said tapered rod portion, a nut on said rod end adjacent said taper, and a spring effective between said nut and piston valve to normally hold it seated on said taper, said piston valve snugly tting the larger bore to be frictionally unseated with respect to the rod taper on return stroke of the rod to create suction within the larger bore between the check valve and the interior of the container to thereby draw a charge of lubricant into said bore through said piston valve.

5. An appliance for removable connection to a lubricant container to cooperate therewith to provide a handheld high pressure lubricator, said appliance including a body having aligned bores through it of two diameters with the junction between the bores Jformed as an abutment, a plunger rod working in said bores and having an end projecting through the end of the bore of smaller diameter and carrying a thumb button at said end, a washer on said rod working wholly within the smaller bore, a piston valve loosely carried by said rod and working wholly within the larger bore, stop means carried by that portion of the rod working within the larger bore for engaging said abutment to limit movement of said c communication with rod in one direction, said piston valve being shiftable on said rod to close and open fluid passage between said rod and the interior of said piston valve, resilient means carried by said rod and acting against said piston valve to normally maintain it seated on said rod to close its interior to fluid passage, a spout connected tol said body in said larger bore, a spring pressed check valve normally closing communication between said spout and said larger bore, said body having a fluid passageway in it opening into said larger bore, a feed tube secured to said body in communication with said fluid passageway adapted to terminate near the bottom of a connected lubricant container to supply lubricant to said larger bore, said tube and said fluid passageway being unobstructed, said body having an air passageway opening at one end into said container and at the other end intothe smaller bore, and a washer on said rod working wholly within said smaller bore and so positioned thereon as to close said air passage to atmosphere when said rod is retracted and the stop means are against said abutment and open said air passage to the atmosphere when said rod is moved to discharge lubricant through said spout.

6. An appliance for removable connection to a lubricant container to therewith provide a high pressure lubricator adapted for one hand operation, said appliance including a body having two axial bores of different diameters, the larger of said bores constituting an oil trapping chamber and having a discharge spout connected to its end remote from the smaller bore, a cap afxed to said body for connection to a lubricant container, said body having an oil passageway opening at one end into said cap and at the other end opening into said larger bore, a feed tube secured to said body in communication with said oil passageway adapted to terminate near the bottom of a connected lubricant container to supply lubricant to said larger bore, said body having an air passageway opening at one end through said cap and at the other end opening into said smaller bore, a plunger rod working within said bores and projecting outwardly through the end of the smaller bore which is remote from the larger bore, a thumb button on said projecting end of said rod, a valve carried by said rod and working wholly within the larger bore for controlling oil flow from said oil passageway to the interior of the larger bore between the valve and said spout, a washer carried by said rod and working wholly Within the smaller bore, spring means acting against said rod to normally maintain it in retracted position with the valve at maximum distance from the spout, and a check valve normally closing communication between said larger bore and said spout, said washer being sodisposed on said rod as to close said air passageway when the rod is in retracted position and to open said air passageway to the atmosphere when the rod is pushed to discharge oil through said spout.

JOHN C. MoRRoW. 

